Paintball Is Prohibited in Scouting!

Paintball poses a significant risk of injury, especially among children. In contrast to other Scouting activities involving firearms, the object of paintball is to fire a pellet—at a speed of at least 300 feet per second—at another human. A paintball that hits the body may produce a mere sting or welt, but a paintball that strikes an eyeball can cause severe injury to the eye and even blindness. The Consumer Product Safety Commission noted three deaths between 2002 and 2005 from paintball gun equipment.

Per the Guide to Safe Scouting,“The following activities have been declared unauthorized and restricted by the Boy Scouts of America . . . Pointing any type of firearm (including paintball, dye, or lasers) at any individual is unauthorized.”

A complete listing of the Unauthorized and Restricted Activities can be found here.